Don Celender

Don Celender (1931 – March 3, 2005) was an American conceptual artist and professor. Celender, who began producing art in the late 1960s, used surveys extensively in his work. He would send questionnaires to members of the public, academics, artists, politicians, museum officials, and other cohorts of people, often with outlandish or tongue-in-cheek suggestions or solicitations. The responses were then exhibited at the OK Harris Gallery in Manhattan, New York, where Celender had a show annually. Celender taught at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, for over 40 years.

Early life Don Celender was born in 1931 in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania. He attended Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University, from which he graduated in 1956 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He then attended the University of Pittsburgh, graduating in 1963 with a PhD in Art History.

Career After obtaining his PhD, Celender worked in Washington, D.C., at the National Gallery of Art's education department. He exhibited art each year from 1974 to 2004 at the OK Harris Gallery in SoHo, Manhattan. Ivan Karp, owner of the gallery, represented Celender. The majority of his art took the form of survey projects like Museum Piece, which Celender produced annually and exhibited at the OK Harris Gallery. Some of Celender's 35 exhibited works are listed below, and those that were bound into book form are indicated with a dagger (†). Unless otherwise noted, all works are referenced to Fischer. Wind and Water Chime (1968) Artball (1971) Political Art Movement, Religious Art Movement, Affluent Art Movement, Academic Art Movement, Corporate Art Movement, Cultural Art Movement, Mass Media Art Movement, Organizational Art Movement (1972)† The Olympics of Art (1973)† Museum Piece (1975)† Opinions of Working People Concerning the Arts (1975)† Observation and Scholarship Examination for Art Historians, Museum Directors, Artists, Dealers, and Collectors: Part 2 (1977)† Observations, Protestations and Lamentations of Museum Guards Throughout the World (1978)† Destiny of a Name (1978)† National Architects Preference Survey (1979)† Parental Attitudes Survey (1980) Reincarnation Study (1982)† Unmatched Garage Doors (1982) Law Enforcement Officers Art Preference Survey (1988) Apprenticeship Study (1989) Questions About the Arts You May Never Have Thought to Ask (1992)† Aesthetic Experiences (1992) Mortal Remains with Ricardo Bloch (1995)† Nobel Laureates Art Preference Survey (1995) Military Officers Art Survey (1998) Small and Unusual Museums Survey (1999) Labor Activists Art Preference Survey (2003) National Prison Wardens Art Preference Survey (2003) Censorship Survey (2003)